When Albertans go to the polls to vote on Oct. 19, 2026, they will have a direct say on Alberta’s path forward in immigration policy and important constitutional questions to protect provincial sovereignty. The referendum follows the recommendations of the Alberta Next Panel, which heard from Albertans on how to build a more sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.
“Alberta’s future must be shaped by the people who live and work here. This referendum gives Albertans the opportunity to have a direct say on immigration and constitutional questions that affect our economy, our public services and our province’s future. I look forward to hearing from them through this referendum.”
“It is critical that we receive direction from Albertans on these issues that directly impact the daily life of everyone in our province. This referendum is a tangible way that we are prioritizing the needs of citizens and making Alberta stronger.”
Although sustainable immigration has always been an important part of Alberta’s history as a province, the immigration policies of the federal government over the last five years have put tremendous pressure on classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems. Referendum questions will seek direction from Albertans on how the province should adjust provincial policies to ensure our social services remain accessible and sustainable for Albertans.
Alberta’s government also recognizes that Albertans have legitimate grievances with the policies of the federal government, and that they would like to see areas of provincial jurisdiction respected. In response to these concerns, referendum questions will seek direction from Albertans on which constitutional changes to advance to increase Alberta’s sovereignty within a united Canada.
The referendum questions to be put to electors, and to which the response from an elector who votes in the referendum must be either “yes” or “no”, will be:
Non-constitutional referendum questions
- Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?
- Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta-approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?
- Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for social support programs as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring all individuals with a non-permanent legal immigration status to reside in Alberta for at least 12 months before qualifying for any provincially funded social support programs?
- Assuming that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents continue to qualify for public health care and education as they do now, do you support the Government of Alberta charging a reasonable fee or premium to individuals with a non-permanent immigration status living in Alberta for their and their family’s use of the health care and education systems?
- Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate or citizenship card, to vote in an Alberta provincial election?
Constitutional referendum questions
- Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to have provincial governments, and not the federal government, select the justices appointed to provincial King’s Bench and Appeal courts?
- Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to abolish the unelected federal Senate?
- Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to allow provinces to opt out of federal programs that intrude on provincial jurisdiction such as health care, education, and social services, without a province losing any of the associated federal funding for use in its social programs?
- Do you support the Government of Alberta working with the governments of other willing provinces to amend the Canadian Constitution to better protect provincial rights from federal interference by giving a province’s laws dealing with provincial or shared areas of constitutional jurisdiction priority over federal laws when the province’s laws and federal laws conflict?